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Since 1976, Manhattan Mini Storage has freed up the closet space of more than 200,000 New Yorkers with units spread throughout the borough. Three months of access to Manhattan Mini Storage's dimensioned 4'x4'x4' compartment gives the space-starved enough room for approximately 10?15 medium-sized boxes, plus clothing, sporting equipment, and small items. All storage spaces come standard with around-the-clock video security, and year-round accessibility with exclusive off-street parking. For oversized handbag and baseball-card collections, the storage company offers larger units, some sizable enough to fit an apartment's worth of furnishings or a decade?s supply of french toast. A concierge service assists in the logistics of the move for an additional cost, helping to keep the stress of moving low.

Manhattan Mini Storage has the space and time to accommodate overstocked packrats and urban rolling stones alike. Availability varies by location, so please phone ahead before making promises to your lawn furniture or Flag Day decorations. In the interest of full disclosure, feel free to check out the company's FAQ page online.

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According to the Wall Street Journal, the spike in the number of Manhattan pizzerias, from 117 in 1958 to more than 1600 in 2011, can be attributed to the rising popularity of the gas oven. But that doesn't mean there aren't some pizzerias still doing it the old-fashioned way. In New York, you can Frisbee-throw a pepperoni pizza and hit any type of oven, from the 25-ton coal-fired behemoth that churned out Sinatra’s favorite pie to the gas contraptions that kick out the cheesy, foldable slice that has earned iconic status in NYC.

The saying “less is more” has perhaps never been truer than it is at Porchetta (110 E. 7th St.) and Porsena (21 E. 7th St.). At both East Village hot spots, Chef Sara Jenkins has built a cult following by keeping her menus tightly focused rather than trying to do it all. Crowds gather at Porchetta to savor one specific thing: slow-roasted pork (served in varying ways yet always the central focus of each dish). At Porsena, they come for perfectly cooked artisanal pasta.
Jenkins’s straightforward approach reflects a distinctly Italian state of mind, which makes sense, considering her upbringing around Tuscany and Rome. Mario Batali summed it up succinctly when he called her “one of the few chefs in America who understands Italy and how Italians eat."
“I think Italians in Italy eat with a certain fairness that Americans and Italian-Americans don’t have,” Jenkins said, asked about what prompted Batali’s praise. “An Italian is perfectly happy with a perfectly cooked artisanal spaghetti with great olive oil and chilies, while an American would want to add three or four [more] ingredients.”
When Jenkins isn’t working in her own kitchens, she can often be found exploring other rich, delicious, and straightforward flavors around the city. Here are a few of her favorites.
For Italian (outside of Porsena): “I eat at Cesare Casella’s place on the West Side, Salumeria Rosi Parmacotto (283 Amsterdam Ave.). He’s a Tuscan chef who’s been working in New York for many more years than I have. He’s very authentic.”
For gelato: “Il laboratio del gelato (188 Ludlow St.). They have traditional and nontraditional flavors.”
For espresso: “Abraço Espresso (86 E. 7th St.) on 7th Street. They are maniacal about making it right.”
For wine or cocktails: “I like to drink wine at Bar Veloce (175 2nd Ave.) on 2nd Avenue. It’s an Italian wine bar that’s been there more than 10 years. It’s not over the top, not pretentious or precious. Just a great wine selection in a nice space.”
Check Groupon for deals on Italian restaurants in New York City.

Invite Mario Batali over for dinner and you're in for an adventure. When writer Bill Buford did just that, the superstar chef not only immediately took charge of the meal, but also wound up arranging for Buford to learn the ropes of Italian cooking in his famous restaurant Babbo. As Buford recounts in his book Heat, the experience was intense; much of his work is unceremoniously discarded, and at one point a sous-chef splatters him with hot oil for getting in the way. But the staff, whom Buford concludes are “a roomful of adrenaline addicts,” are just demonstrating the passion that’s always driven New York’s Italian food scene.

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